Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú said she is "hopeful" of securing a substitute seat on the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI).

The MEP put herself forward this week to her group in the parliament, Renew Europe, to be considered for the position of full member of the committee.

The contest also included two existing substitute members, Independent Ireland MEP Ciarán Mullooly and Belgian MEP Benoit Cassart.

Renew Europe MEPs voted in favour of Mullooly becoming the new full member, with 41 out of 67 MEPs backing his appointment.

AGRI committee

Ní Mhurchú had argued that her constituency of Ireland South is not currently represented by either a full member or a substitute member on the AGRI Committee.

The Midlands North-West constituency now has four Irish MEPs as full members on the committee: Ciaran Mullooly, Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh, Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Cowen and Independent MEP Luke Ming Flanagan.

Ní Mhurchú said "this imbalance was significant for farmers' interests and those of the agri food industry in Ireland South".

The MEP said that 45% to 50% of all farms in the Irish State are located in the Ireland South constituency.

"Ireland South represents intensive, highly commercialised, and highly profitable export-led agriculture and would have benefitted from having a Renew voice on the European Parliament AGRI committee," she said.

Farmers

Ní Mhurchú she will continue to represent the interest of Irish farm families and the wider agri-food sector.

"I believe with the Irish Presidency of the [EU] Council, occurring this year (July to December), it means Ireland will play an important role in budgetary and Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) discussions and I intend to promote Irish farming interests at every opportunity," she said.